Hospice of the Ozarks breaks ground on new $3.5M facility

Hospice of the Ozarks Executive Director Greg Wood visits with attendees at Wednesday’s ground breaking ceremony at the corner of Long Street and Burnett Drive.(Photo: Helen Mansfield/Special to The Bulletin)

Since its humble beginnings more than 39 years ago, the mission of Hospice of the Ozarks to assist the needs of their patients families in Baxter and Marion County has grown exponentially.

It is because of this growth, and wise financial stewardship, that Executive Director Greg Wood and the hospice’s board of directors broke ground on Wednesday for a new $3.5 million administration building to be located just down the hill from the current Hospice House on the corner of Long Street and Burnett Drive.

Approximately 100 people attended the ground breaking, taking shelter from the oppressive heat under a large, white tent. Attendees were treated to ice cold bottles of water and a cookie buffet. Wood addressed the crowd from a portable stage and through a temperamental public address system.

“The new administration building will host the home program staff, volunteers, medical equipment for patients, activities for the volunteers and bereavement programs,” Wood told the audience.

“This will be the centerpiece for patients, staff and volunteers,” Woods said.

The current 12-bed, private room Hospice House supports patients with end-of-life medical conditions in one of three situations: those who have a medical situation that can’t necessarily be monitored in a home setting, those who have caretakers at home that need respite from their responsibilities and for those who can rent a room as their place of residence.

Hospice of the Ozarks currently spends more than $5,000 in rental space fees from area churches and other agencies so it can hold things such as support group meetings for family members.

Board of Directors President Trieneke Self said the new, two-story, 16,000 square foot, mixed-use facility will have administrative offices, conference and meetings rooms, along with storage for durable medical equipment needed for a patient’s end-of-life care — all under one roof.

Woods looks forward to a future where Hospice of the Ozarks will be able to host camps for children of grief and have refrigeration space to store fresh flowers to periodically take to patients.

In 2016, Woods said the building committee formed to look at previous legacy contributions from donors and plan for the new building. Woods said roughly 5 to 10 percent of the new facility will be paid for through additional legacy donations and naming opportunities at various contribution levels.

Four rooms have already been reserved by donating sponsors.

According to a handout provided by Hospice of the Ozarks, the organization is operating through two different pots of money, one for daily operations, the other for the building project.

In 2017, Hospice of the Ozarks’ daily operations were $500,000 short of what Medicare, Medicaid and private insurances provided — yet there is never a direct cost to patients who are on hospice care. The shortfall is paid by donations and fundraising. The building project will be funded through an investment portfolio.

Former president of the Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Building Committee, Noel Morris told the group he became involved with Hospice of the Ozarks because of his grandmother’s dedication to the facility.

Growing up in Flippin, Morris recalls his grandmother volunteering and taking items to patients.

“As a kid, as I learned of the mission of Hospice of the Ozarks, my admiration of her grew,” Morris said.

Nearly 10 years ago, when his grandmother was in her 80s, Morris recalled that his grandmother in turn needed the support of Hospice of the Ozarks as her health began to fail.

“She was here for several days (Hospice House) before she passed, and the volunteers made a difference as she moved from this life into the next,” Morris told the crowd.

“She would be proud of this building,” he added.

Hospice Expansion

The new Hospice of the Ozarks administration facilities are expected to be completed in early 2019.

For more information, or to contribute to Hospice of the Ozarks, contact Executive Director Greg Wood at (870) 508-1771 or email him at: gwood@hospiceoftheozarks.org